Many people think of a First Aid course as a bit of a chore that every couple years they need to endure…. They go to a class and the instructor ticks the boxes do get them certified. Too often people don’t really think it’s that big of a deal. They think, “Sure it would be nice to be able to help someone out in an emergency but how often does that happen?”

Everyone has different reasons for taking a course. One that people often overlook, and in my opinion is the most important, is to never be stuck not knowing what to do. This is why I’m always upgrading and keeping up to date on my skills. Being in a situation and not knowing what to do is a terrible feeling. This is why at Ottawa Valley First Aid we don’t just make sure you ‘tick the boxes’. We engage and entertain to ensure that our courses are the best you’ve ever taken. We make sure to help out are participants in whatever area they need to be confident and comfortable in dealing with emergency situations.

So who does First Aid help the most? I would say it’s just as much for the people who need help as those that are helping. If you aren’t sure how you would if presented with a First Aid situation maybe it’s time to certify (or recertify) so you never have to second guess yourself.

Well it has been officially released that the Renfrew County Red Cross branch located in Pembroke is closing down. You can read the article in the Pembroke Daily Observer – (http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2016/06/15/renfrew-county-red-cross-closing-office) for more of the details about the circumstances that led to this decision. So will there still be Red Cross First Aid Courses in Renfrew County? Absolutely.

Ottawa Valley First Aid has actually been the preferred Red Cross First Aid provider for the past two years, since the branch slowly transitioned out of offering courses themselves. We’ve been offering the same great courses throughout Pembroke, Petawawa, Eganville, Renfrew, Arnprior and other towns in between and will continue to do so. Folks that had called the branch looking to sign up for a course have been directed to us. If you have questions or want to register for a course you can contact us by phone, email or our website (where you can book directly online) and we will make sure to help you get what you need.

While we are sad by the decision to close the Branch, our goal is to keep the Red Cross presence in Renfrew County and continue offering the best courses in and around the Ottawa Valley.

Since we’ve previously run many courses out of the Branch we are actively looking for other suitable locations in Pembroke. While the location for an Ottawa Valley First Aid Course might change, the quality, fun and informative courses taught by fun, knowledgeable and experienced instructors will remain the same.

The winter is slowly giving way to Spring here in the Ottawa Valley. The sun is shining and the days are longer which means the bug season is just around the corner. Bees, wasps, mosquitos and black flies get most of the attention in these parts but perhaps some of the most problematic bugs we need to be aware of are ticks.

Are there ticks in the Ottawa Valley?

Absolutely. Ticks usually hang out in longer grassy areas or in thick underbrush. While ticks are out in all of the warmer weather seasons, Early Spring and Fall are usually when they are most abundant. Some believe that ticks are becoming more and more common as we get milder and milder winters. Ticks basically burrow into your skin and feed on your blood. They start out about the size of the end of a pen and after they’ve fed on your blood for a bit they swell to about the size of your fingernail. While this is less than appealing, ticks themselves aren’t that big of a deal. The real problem is that some ticks carry, and can transmit to humans, Lyme Disease.

Is there Lyme Disease in the Ottawa Valley?

Absolutely. Even within a small circle of friends I know of several people (and several dogs including my own) that have been infected and diagnosed with Lyme Disease. Lyme is very tricky as there is sometimes a bullseye like rash that forms (but not always) and other symptoms are achey, flu-like feeling that may show up days, weeks, months or even longer after you get infected. It gets even more problematic as it isn’t easy to diagnose and there are some health professionals that don’t believe it is really in the area or a problem (get a second or third opinion if this is the case for you). So how can we keep ourselves protected?

Do Regular Checks for Ticks

To get Lyme you need to be bit by a tick that is infected (not all are) and it has to be on you for about 24 hours. If we can remove ticks before they become encouraged in blood we are probably in the clear. If you are in tick areas wear long sleeves and pants and tuck them into your boots. Stay away from tall, grassy areas and stay in the middle of trails. Check after walks for ticks on you (and your pets) and brush or comb them away before they become attached. If they are already attached, while there are many methods for removal, using a pair of tweezers is very effective. The trick is to grasp the tick as close to the skin as you can and hold with just to enough pressure to have a grip on the tick. Pull very slowly (until the skin tents) and wait until the tick releases. Avoid twisting or ripping it quickly as you may rip the tick in half with the head still lodged in you. Watch for signs of infection and if you are at all concerned about Lyme contact a health professional and be very wary if any of the symptoms start to appear.

Some areas have more ticks than others. I probably see on average one or two ticks on my dogs in year but other areas will have dozens of ticks on them every time they wander in the woods. Be vigilant, and aware, and we can minimize our chances of having any long term issues down the road.

I teach a lot of First Aid and CPR courses in and around the Ottawa Valley – from Arnprior, Renfrew, Pembroke, Deep River to Eganville. It doesn’t matter if I have a class of 6 or 16, young or old, if they want to be there or have to be there, I have one goal for everyone that takes a course with Ottawa Valley First Aid – To leave knowing that, in any emergency situation, they can, and will, do the right thing. And what do I teach to make sure this happens? I always tell people to run things through the list that the Red Cross labels as “The First Aiders Role”.

The First Aiders Role

Recognize the Emergency

Call EMS/911

Act according to your skills, knowledge and comfort level.

That’s it. So let’s walk through how it plays out in the real world. Let’s say you are driving on Highway 17 and see a car suddenly swerve and slam into the ditch at high speed (you realize that is bad). You find a safe place to pull over and quickly call EMS/911 on your cell phone (so you just did #1 and #2). Even if you do nothing else you’ve greatly helped this situation! You are trained in First Aid and after looking to ensure there are no hazards you approach a man lying on the side of the road. This is the point where most folks get a bit ‘uneasy’ about doing ‘stuff’. They don’t want to make things worse or doing something wrong. But here is the good news. As long as you act according to you skills, knowledge and comfort level you won’t do the wrong thing! If you are debating if you should or shouldn’t do something run it through the lens of point #3. If you are skilled enough, knowledgable and comfortable doing something you do it. If your idea doesn’t pass those three points you don’t! It sounds pretty simple but it works.

So this is my approach to emergencies and it has served me very well (unfortunately multiple times) throughout life. I made the decision to take a Standard First Aid and CPR course when I was in my teens because I wanted to be more skilled, knowledgeable and comfortable in situations. It’s a great course to start out with but it’s only the tip of the iceberg. The more training and knowledge you gain the more situations you’ll be able to say ‘yes I can do this’. And that is a great feeling.

There are lots of First Aid companies and training opportunities out there, but they aren’t all the same. If you value the knowledge and confidence more than the card, then we look forward to helping with that.

Summer is in full swing in North America with temperatures in Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Valley creeping into the 30’s. Add in the humidity and we are pushing past the ‘comfortable’ zone for many folks. While summer is a great time to be outside and get active we do have to be cautious that we don’t push our bodies past the point that they can keep us cool. Here are a few things to watch for to ensure we don’t end up suffering from heat cramps, heat exhaustion or, worst of all, heat stroke.

Prevention is key!

The best way to deal with heat related emergencies is to not get them in the first place (obvious I know). Be sure to wear proper clothing that allows good airflow to your skin, stay hydrated with water (or electrolyte drinks if you are sweating lots) keep physical activity within a comfortable range for you, and, if you notice any signs or symptoms of heat-related issues, GET OUT OF THE HEAT! Listen to your body and respect what it’s telling you.

What to look for

In the beginning stages of heat emergencies you might start to have muscle cramping, you are still sweating but generally feeling unwell. If not dealt with things will get worse. Headaches, nausea, and vomiting are huge red flags that you need to cool down. When things are really bad, sweating stops and usually heat stroke sufferers will have red, hot, dry skin. Irritable, bizarre behaviour. Rapid, shallow breathing. Seizures. If things get to this point you need to call EMS/911 and cool them down NOW! This can be fatal.

Deal with it Early

If we recognize the signs and symptoms early we can deal with them. We need to stop them from getting warmer and cool them down. Get them inside or in the shade and have them rest and drink fluids like water or electrolyte drinks. A cool cloth or cold pack on the back of the neck, inside the armpits or groin area or, if there is water nearby, a quick dip will cool them down. If you can’t cool them down in the early stages then consider it a life-threatening condition and they need to be cooled as quickly as you can (and EMS/911 needs to be called!). Even if you manage to cool them down and they ‘seem’ okay they need medical treatment. Our bodies don’t like a raise in core temperature and damage to organs may have occurred.

Keep in mind heat related emergencies can progress frighteningly quickly and it does’t have to be extreme temperatures outside either. A huge jump in temperature, medications, age (usually younger folks and older folks) and medical conditions all affect how well we adjust to the environment. So be a good friend and be on the lookout for any signs of heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke and take the right action to give the best chance for the desired outcome.

Driving along the 417 Highway you see a car several hundred meters ahead of you swerve suddenly and tumble violently into the ditch. You immediately recognize that this is an emergency and determine that it is safe for you to stop and offer help. You move well off the road and pull out your cell phone to alert EMS/911. Help is on the way. But what next?

In the last several years cell phones have quickly integrated into the daily lives of the majority of Canadians. While they are a great tool to have during an emergency, allowing folks to alert EMS/911 very quickly, they do have limitations.

While coverage has improved, there are still many regions where it isn’t very reliable or calls frequently are dropped. This is why it’s so important to let the dispatch know your number and location. Land lines are usually much more dependable and they have the added bonus of being able to trace the call to an exact geographic location, which is not usually the case with cell phones (yet).

Cell phones can also give folks a false sense of safety. Just having a cell phone doesn’t actually make you any safer. If you are involved in an accident the cell phone can’t deal with cuts and scrapes, perform CPR or recognize when someone is having a diabetic emergency (though the Red Cross App does a great job of giving you information and steps to follow). You still need to act.

So keep your cell phone handy (like there was any chance of most of you giving them up anyway….) but remember your training, practice and action are what will truly deal with emergency situations.

Years ago when I started working in the Outdoor Adventure industry I was the “First Aid Tech” at one of Canada’s largest Rafting operations. My job was to take care of, and document, any First Aid incidents that occurred. Most of injuries and illnesses I dealt with had nothing to do with rafting and were the usual cuts, scrapes and tweaks that happen throughout life. Many times when treating folks and doing up the paperwork I’d get asked “are you a paramedic”? They always seemed surprised when I told them that I was trained in Standard First Aid. Somehow they seemed to think that being trained in First Aid wasn’t really enough. You know the, ‘its just First Aid’ mentality. To be honest many folks that I teach feel that way too – at the beginning of a course.

The Red Cross defines First Aid as the immediate treatment you give an ill or injured person until more advanced care can be obtained. Now what would happen if you, and the world’s best surgeon, happened upon a motor vehicle accident? What would, or could, the Surgeon do any differently than you? They might have a much greater knowledge and understanding of a persons physical situation, the full impact of injuries before them, but ulitimately, they can do the same thing as you. A surgeon can’t do surgery on the side of the road. They basically have the same tools available to them that you will after taking a Standard First Aid course.

The point is – First Aid training is important. It helps saves lives. It teaches you how to deal with emergencies and make important decisions. To some it’s ‘just First Aid’ but to the people you help during an emergency it’s so much more.

Living in the Ottawa Valley we face both ends of the temperature spectrum. Looking out the window this morning the hot, lazy summer days are a distant memory as everything is enveloped by a sparkling white cold. Winter in the Valley is amazing, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, (okay sometimes I do wish a warm beach was close by) but we do need to make sure we take a few extra steps to prevent cold-related injuries. Here are 3 tips to stay healthy in the cold.

There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!

The key to enjoying winter outings is to wear the right clothes. Base layers made of fleece or polypro are ideal. They help move moisture away from your skin and keep you warm and dry. Avoid things made of cotton! If they get wet you will get cold. Really cold. Add other layers of fleece or wool as needed and be sure to have some sort of wind layer (gore-tex is a popular choice because of it’s breathability) to go on the outside. They key is to stay dry! If you are outside sweating (or preferably before you start sweating) take a layer off.

Stay fuelled up and keep moving

One of the best ways to keep warm is to keep moving. Imagine if you are standing on the street waiting for a light to turn so you can cross. It’s really cold out. Do you stand there motionless and think ‘wow I’m cold’ or do you move around, do some squats and keep moving? Opt for option B. Doing some movement (lunges, squats, walk, swing your arms, jumping jacks, etc.) is going to warm you up. You also need to make sure you have some gas in the tank to burn! Be sure you are staying hydrated and well fed. Avoid alcoholic drinks or things with caffeine in them though. You may ‘feel’ a bit warmer at first but they actually will make you colder.

Recognize the signs of Hypothermia

Hypothermia can be life threatening and we need to recognize the signs and symptoms before it’s too late. For mild and moderate hypothermia look for shivering, complaining of the cold, loss of motor control and changes in behaviour. As our core temperature drops we start to get the ‘umbles’. We grumble, mumble, fumble and stumble. If you notice this happening we need to STOP HEAT LOSS and START HEAT GAIN. If we don’t we are looking at possibility of severe hypothermia – a life threatening issue. People with severe hypothermia may have stopped shivering, slurring or unable to speak and eventually may lose consciousness. If you suspect someone might have severe hypothermia Call EMS/911 and stop any further heat loss.

Remember that it doesn’t need to be -40 to be affected by cold-related issues. There are lots of factors that can make a person colder (moisture, medications, not used to the environment, etc.) so be on the lookout for any and all signs there is a problem. Be a good first aider and recognize that you need to take action and hopefully you can prevent things from becoming a real emergency.

We live in a pretty dynamic place where an infinite number of things could go wrong. Every course I teach there are usually a few folks that start most of there sentences with “What do I do if…”. The ending of the sentence can be related to anything from car crashes, explosions, charging rhino’s or scary clowns (sometimes I blame Hollywood for putting some very unlikely ideas in our heads). So how do our First Aid courses cover how to deal with ever possible bad situation? We make you think!

Our Emergency and Standard First Aid courses are all about giving you a system and way of dealing with any situation with confidence. It’s a template that can be used across the endless variety of situations you might encounter. While it would be impossible (and a really long course) to go over ever thing that might ever happen, we give you the tools and knowledge to help out no matter what the situation. Many people are afraid that they won’t know what to do or that they will do something wrong. It’s a terrible feeling. Take a course and arm yourself with confidence so you won’t have to ask ‘What do I do if”. You’ll know.

While Jo-anne and I have been teaching First Aid programs for years now we’ve recently made the decision to become a Red Cross Training Partner and offer courses under our own business (which is Ottawa Valley First Aid – the website you are currently on….). Sorting out all the details and ordering all the equipment is certainly a tedious task but also a very important one. We believe that training should be as close to ‘real life’ as possible which is why we made sure to order the best equipment to help reinforce that. Like our mannequins that not only look realistic but feel realistic so you’ll know if you are doing effective CPR or not.

We don’t want folks to come in and ‘go through the motions’. We don’t just tick the boxes and do what’s good enough for you to get your card. We actually want to prepare you for any situation you might encounter in the real world. While many workplaces or school programs require that card that shows you’ve taken a course, be sure that the place you train arms you with the knowledge the card represents. Having the card is great, but the card doesn’t help someone in a true emergency. Check out our upcoming courses and prepare yourself today!